US20100223709A1 - Garment Protective Assembly - Google Patents
Garment Protective Assembly Download PDFInfo
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- US20100223709A1 US20100223709A1 US12/699,804 US69980410A US2010223709A1 US 20100223709 A1 US20100223709 A1 US 20100223709A1 US 69980410 A US69980410 A US 69980410A US 2010223709 A1 US2010223709 A1 US 2010223709A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- garment
- cap
- protective
- insert
- protective insert
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A41—WEARING APPAREL
- A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
- A41D13/00—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches
- A41D13/05—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches protecting only a particular body part
- A41D13/06—Knee or foot
- A41D13/065—Knee protectors
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A41—WEARING APPAREL
- A41D—OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES
- A41D13/00—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches
- A41D13/05—Professional, industrial or sporting protective garments, e.g. surgeons' gowns or garments protecting against blows or punches protecting only a particular body part
- A41D13/055—Protector fastening, e.g. on the human body
- A41D13/0581—Protector fastening, e.g. on the human body with permanent fastening means
Definitions
- the present invention relates to protective clothing in general, and more particularly to garments which incorporate pads for protection of the wearer's joints such as elbows and knees.
- Conventional knee and elbow pads provide some measure of protection against impact by supplying a cushion over the joint.
- the force of a point impact can be distributed over a greater surface area by stiff shells which are fastened to the cushion.
- the stiff shells also provide protection against minor cuts and abrasions, while at the same time protecting the cushion itself from degradation.
- Elbow and knee pads are commonly of one of two types. Independent pads are mounted directly to the wearer's limbs by straps or belts. These devices offer the advantage of being securely attached in the vicinity of the joint to be protected, and being readily replaced for cleaning or repair. This type of pad is often employed where the wearer is otherwise lightly clad, such as in certain sporting activities. However, the tight elastic straps can be uncomfortable or can limit mobility. Moreover, the close-fitting pads can be especially hot during extended wear. In addition, the independent pads can be difficult to combine with other necessary garments, such as coveralls, fatigues, or jumpsuits, as the padding may, when used in combination with such clothing, restrict movement and ventilation and interfere with the garment.
- the hard shell of an independent pad if worn interior to the garment, can result in the shredding or abrasion of the garment itself, which is caught between the hard shell of the pad and the hard exterior objects. If worn exterior to the garment, the pad can be excessively restrictive of the movement of the garment, and impair the mobility of the wearer.
- Garment-mounted pads are often more comfortable, and the hard shell of the pad worn on the exterior of the garment fabric serves to extend the life of the garment itself. Garment and pad wear may, however, progress at different rates, and it may be desirable to replace one and not the other. Or, it may be necessary to remove any foam padding in order to adequately wash the garment, or to safely subject the garment to drying heat. Some garments have pockets into which the foam pad is inserted, but if the hard shell is also inserted into this type of pocket, it would no longer provide protection for the garment fabric.
- U.S. Pat. No. 7,237,270 entitled Removable Garment Protective Assembly, discloses a joint protective pad assembly in which a protective element comprised of a foam pad and a cap is received within a frontwardly opening pocket in a garment.
- the protective plastic cap is stitched to the pad around a center region, such that a projecting flange is defined which overlies the pad.
- the margin of the pocket opening is received between the cap flange and the pad, and thereby retains the protective element in place while in use, yet allows the protective element to be readily removed for washing of the garment, or for replacement.
- two stiff caps are sewn to the foam pad and are received within two pockets. Yet even greater levels of comfort and protective efficacy are desirable, without sacrificing the convenience features of such a protective assembly.
- a garment protective assembly of this invention works to protect a wearer's joint, such as a knee or elbow, and is incorporated in a garment such as a shirt or pants.
- the garment has a front layer with portions which define a central opening defined by an inner periphery and positionable to overlie a portion of the joint to be protected.
- a removable protective insert is larger than the central opening and may be formed of resilient foam.
- a stiffer unitary cap is sewn to the insert.
- the molded cap has an upper segment separated from a lower segment by a bending joint defined by at least one groove which extends substantially across the cap.
- the upper segment and the lower segment are separately fixed to the protective insert by stitching.
- the upper segment and the lower segment have an outwardly projecting flange which overlies the protective insert, the flange having portions which engage the front layer of the garment between the cap flange and the protective insert.
- the foam insert is die cut to form two sided diverging notches, one on either side of the cap, and aligned with the bending joint, which facilitate the bending of the protective insert.
- the wearer's comfort and freedom of movement is further aided by two notches positioned downwardly from the cap.
- the foam insert has two elongated slots which pierce the protective insert to permit air flow therethrough.
- a relief is associated with each slot which extends from a protective insert front surface to the slot, such that an air cavity is defined between the garment front layer and the slot.
- the garment front layer overlies each air cavity to permit ventilation therethrough to the protected joint.
- FIG. 1 is a front elevational view, partially broken away in section of the joint protective assembly of this invention configured for protection of the knee of the wearer of a garment.
- FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 1 taken along section line 2 - 2 .
- FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 1 taken along section line 3 - 3 .
- FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side perspective view of the protective assembly of FIG. 1 shown in use with the wearer's knee bent.
- FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the protective insert of FIG. 1 .
- FIGS. 1-5 wherein like numbers refer to similar parts, a protective pad assembly 20 is shown in FIGS. 1-4 .
- the protective pad assembly 20 is comprised of a protective element 22 , and a pocket 24 formed on a pants leg 26 of a garment 28 , for example a soldier's fatigues.
- the protective element 22 is symmetrical about a vertical axis, and has a cap 42 attached to an insert 44 .
- the cap 42 is shown broken away generally about the vertical axis.
- the pocket 24 is accessible through a central opening 36 , and is not open at the top or sides as in a common pocket.
- Other pocket configurations may be employed, such as the ones shown in U.S. Pat. No.
- the pocket 24 is defined between a fabric front layer 30 and a frontwardly facing fabric substrate 32 of the garment 28 .
- the protective pad assembly illustrated is a knee pad assembly, but a similar arrangement for an elbow or other body area may be provided.
- the front layer 30 is connected to the garment substrate 32 at an outer peripheral seam 34 , formed, for example, by stitching.
- the seam 34 may be broken at an access region 35 at the base of the pocket, to aid in removal of the insert by insertion of a finger to press up on the insert.
- the central opening 36 is defined in the front layer 30 and has an inner periphery 38 which may be finished by a sewn seam. It will be noted that the front layer 30 does not lie flat against the garment substrate 32 , but is spaced from the substrate to define a pocket interior cavity 40 which is dimensioned to snugly receive portions of the protective element 22 .
- the pocket 24 permits the insertion of portions of the protective element 22 through the frontwardly facing central opening 36 .
- the protective element 22 has a stiff but bendable cap 42 which is connected to a protective cushioning insert 44 .
- the insert is a tapered molded and cut sheet of cushioning material.
- the insert 44 is generally resilient and may be dual density polyethylene/EVA foam. If the initial foam sheet is 1 ⁇ 2 inch thick, the molded and cut sheet may range in thickness from 1 ⁇ 2 inch to 1/16 inch.
- the foam sheet is preferably produced as a fabric/foam/fabric laminate. Although the front surface need not be fabric covered, the fabric may be provided to provide a more finished appearance.
- the shape is given to the foam insert sheet 44 by placing it in a compression mold, and forming it with heat and pressure into the desired three-dimensional shape.
- the molded shape is then placed in a die cutting apparatus to trim and perforate the part.
- the molded sheet is preferably first flattened out to aid in cutting.
- the foam has a low density, preferably about two pounds per cubic foot or less.
- the stiff cap 42 may be fabricated of a thermoplastic elastomer such as SANTOPRENE® plastic material manufactured by Advanced Elastomer Systems of Exxon Mobil Corporation. This plastic material, although stiffer than most rubbers, nonetheless is generally softer than a plastic such as polyethylene.
- the stiff cap 42 may be a molded material, which preferably has a slightly convex shape to give strength and stiffness and selected to protect the joint for which it is intended. It will be noted that the stiff cap 42 has some resilience, permitting bending of portions of the cap.
- the cap 42 is formed as a unitary molded part, and has an upper segment 43 separated from a lower segment 45 by a bending joint 47 defined by at least one, and preferably three grooves 49 which extend substantially across the cap.
- Each groove 49 may be about 1 ⁇ 8 inch across, and about 1 ⁇ 8 inch deep at the midpoint of the cap, and may taper to a reduced or minimal depth at the edges of the cap.
- the middle of the three grooves 49 may extend substantially horizontally across the cap 42 , while the upper groove may curve downwardly, and the lower groove may curve upwardly.
- the total distance between the upper segment center 48 and the lower segment center 53 may be approximately one inch.
- each segment 43 , 45 of the cap 42 has formed therein shallow peripheral grooves 46 , 51 which encircle the segment centers 48 , 53 .
- the peripheral grooves 46 , 51 permit a thread 54 to be stitched through the cap and the cushioning insert 44 , thereby connecting the cap 42 to the protective cushioning insert 44 without the thread protruding outwardly from the cap.
- Both segments 43 , 45 are thus independently fixed to the protective insert 44 on either side of the bending joint, to allow the flexing of the cap along the bending joint.
- the upper segment may be smaller than the lower segment, for example a little less than one half the height of the lower segment.
- the cushioning insert 44 may be molded to have protruding regions 70 , 72 , corresponding in shape to the segment centers 48 , 53 , to aid in the positioning and attachment of the cap 42 to the insert 44 .
- a flange 50 extends outwardly exterior to the grooves 46 , 51 .
- the back side of the flange 50 is preferably formed with a narrow peripheral ridge 52 which is approximately a semicylindrical bead which faces toward the pocket front layer 30 from the outside.
- Other effective connection mechanisms between the cap and the insert 44 may be employed, so long as the outward protrusion of the flange 50 remains. The flange 50 is thus not fixed to the insert 44 outwardly of the grooves 46 , 51 , with the result that a gap 56 is defined between the cap and the insert 44 .
- the insert 44 is inserted into the interior cavity 40 of the pocket 24 such that the inner periphery 38 of the pocket front layer 30 is received within the gap 56 between the cap 42 flange 50 and the insert 44 .
- the cap 42 engages the material of the front layer 30 , and thereby holds the protective element 22 in place.
- the insert 44 may be substantially larger than the cap 42 .
- a cap 42 which is about four inches wide and six inches high, may be connected to an insert which is about 61 ⁇ 2 inches wide and ten inches high.
- the cap 42 may be positioned closer to the top of the insert 44 than to the bottom.
- the insert 44 is advanced until the fabric of the pocket front layer 30 is received in the gap 56 beneath the beadlike ridge 52 on the rear of the cap flange 50 .
- the insert 44 which is readily compressed and distorted, is then worked around the perimeter of the cap 42 so the edge of the pocket front layer goes under the cap flange.
- the two-part fastener may be a hook-and-loop fastener 58 such as VELCRO® fastener from Velcro Industries B.V., or another conventional fastener such as a snap fastener having a socket as one part, and a stud as the other part.
- the fastener 58 has an insert portion 60 facing frontwardly and affixed to the insert 44 above the cap, and a pocket portion 62 affixed to the pocket front layer 30 inside the pocket and facing the garment substrate 32 .
- the insert fastener portions 60 may be formed as 7 ⁇ 8 inch circular units which are adhesively fastened within shallow depressions 61 molded into the insert 44 .
- the recessed depressions 61 help to hold the fastener portions in place over time.
- the protective pad assembly 20 is configured with features which facilitate the conformance of the assembly to the wearer's limb as its position changes. Two sets of notches with diverging walls are die-cut into the perimeter of the protective insert, as best shown in FIG. 1 .
- Upper notches 74 are positioned one on either side of the cap 42 , and aligned with the bending joint 47 of the cap, to thereby facilitate bending of the protective insert 44 as the cap is bent about the bending joint.
- Each notch has a narrowest point which is preferably aligned with the centermost of the grooves 49 of the bending joint 47 .
- Lower notches 76 are located on the protective insert one on either side of and spaced downwardly from the cap 42 , to thereby facilitate bending of the protective insert along a bend line spaced downwardly from the cap. Both sets of notches 74 , 76 , are thus positioned behind the garment front layer, and thereby protected from contact with the exterior environment.
- the garment protective joint assembly 20 of this invention will be involved in active endeavors such as running, kneeling, carrying out manual chores, etc. As a result, the wearer will generate body heat which it is desirable to bring into contact with cooling external air.
- the assembly 20 is fabricated to allow air to flow through the insert 44 and carry away heat from the protected joint.
- two elongated slots 78 , 80 are spaced downwardly of the cap, and pierce the protective insert 44 and permit air to flow therethrough.
- the slots 78 , 80 are spaced from each other on either side of a vertical centerline of the insert 44 .
- the slots may be about 1 ⁇ 4 inch wide, and about 21 ⁇ 8 inches long, with rounded ends.
- the fabric front layer 30 will tend to be stretched across the front surface 82 of the insert 44 .
- the fabric front layer 30 which is pervious to air, thus overlies the slots 78 , 80 .
- the protective insert is molded to define a relief 84 which extends from the front surface 82 to the slot to thus define an air cavity between the garment front layer 30 and the slot, permitting ventilation through the insert to the protected joint.
- Each relief 84 has inclined or ramped side walls 86 . The relief may be from one-half to one-and-one-quarter inches across.
- the protective foam insert is preferably molded and cut to have an upper edge 88 which is concave towards the wearer, so that the upper edge conforms better to the wearer, and thus tends less to interfere with the wearer's movements, and thus adds to comfortable wear of the assembly.
Abstract
Description
- This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional app. No. 61/149,960, filed Feb. 4, 2009, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
- Not applicable.
- The present invention relates to protective clothing in general, and more particularly to garments which incorporate pads for protection of the wearer's joints such as elbows and knees.
- There are many activities which require practitioners to take on cramped or reduced postures, such as crouching, crawling or lying prone, either momentarily or for extended periods. Moreover, it is sometimes necessary to assume these positions rapidly or unexpectedly. Kneeling and crawling, or collapsing to the knees, can be particularly injurious to the knees, either as a result of abrasion in the form of scraping, cutting, or puncturing, or as a result of impact or trauma. Flooring installers, carpenters, plumbers, and electricians are examples of tradesman who must occasionally or regularly spend time on their knees. Police officers, customs officials, and soldiers also are frequently required to kneel, crouch, or crawl, and often instantaneously in response to a sudden threat. Certain sporting and leisure activities can also lead to joint injuries if precautions are not taken.
- Conventional knee and elbow pads provide some measure of protection against impact by supplying a cushion over the joint. In addition, the force of a point impact can be distributed over a greater surface area by stiff shells which are fastened to the cushion. The stiff shells also provide protection against minor cuts and abrasions, while at the same time protecting the cushion itself from degradation.
- Elbow and knee pads are commonly of one of two types. Independent pads are mounted directly to the wearer's limbs by straps or belts. These devices offer the advantage of being securely attached in the vicinity of the joint to be protected, and being readily replaced for cleaning or repair. This type of pad is often employed where the wearer is otherwise lightly clad, such as in certain sporting activities. However, the tight elastic straps can be uncomfortable or can limit mobility. Moreover, the close-fitting pads can be especially hot during extended wear. In addition, the independent pads can be difficult to combine with other necessary garments, such as coveralls, fatigues, or jumpsuits, as the padding may, when used in combination with such clothing, restrict movement and ventilation and interfere with the garment. Furthermore, the hard shell of an independent pad, if worn interior to the garment, can result in the shredding or abrasion of the garment itself, which is caught between the hard shell of the pad and the hard exterior objects. If worn exterior to the garment, the pad can be excessively restrictive of the movement of the garment, and impair the mobility of the wearer.
- Garment-mounted pads are often more comfortable, and the hard shell of the pad worn on the exterior of the garment fabric serves to extend the life of the garment itself. Garment and pad wear may, however, progress at different rates, and it may be desirable to replace one and not the other. Or, it may be necessary to remove any foam padding in order to adequately wash the garment, or to safely subject the garment to drying heat. Some garments have pockets into which the foam pad is inserted, but if the hard shell is also inserted into this type of pocket, it would no longer provide protection for the garment fabric.
- U.S. Pat. No. 7,237,270, entitled Removable Garment Protective Assembly, discloses a joint protective pad assembly in which a protective element comprised of a foam pad and a cap is received within a frontwardly opening pocket in a garment. The protective plastic cap is stitched to the pad around a center region, such that a projecting flange is defined which overlies the pad. The margin of the pocket opening is received between the cap flange and the pad, and thereby retains the protective element in place while in use, yet allows the protective element to be readily removed for washing of the garment, or for replacement. In one embodiment two stiff caps are sewn to the foam pad and are received within two pockets. Yet even greater levels of comfort and protective efficacy are desirable, without sacrificing the convenience features of such a protective assembly.
- A garment protective assembly of this invention works to protect a wearer's joint, such as a knee or elbow, and is incorporated in a garment such as a shirt or pants. The garment has a front layer with portions which define a central opening defined by an inner periphery and positionable to overlie a portion of the joint to be protected. A removable protective insert is larger than the central opening and may be formed of resilient foam. A stiffer unitary cap is sewn to the insert. The molded cap has an upper segment separated from a lower segment by a bending joint defined by at least one groove which extends substantially across the cap. The upper segment and the lower segment are separately fixed to the protective insert by stitching. The upper segment and the lower segment have an outwardly projecting flange which overlies the protective insert, the flange having portions which engage the front layer of the garment between the cap flange and the protective insert.
- The foam insert is die cut to form two sided diverging notches, one on either side of the cap, and aligned with the bending joint, which facilitate the bending of the protective insert. The wearer's comfort and freedom of movement is further aided by two notches positioned downwardly from the cap.
- The foam insert has two elongated slots which pierce the protective insert to permit air flow therethrough. A relief is associated with each slot which extends from a protective insert front surface to the slot, such that an air cavity is defined between the garment front layer and the slot. The garment front layer overlies each air cavity to permit ventilation therethrough to the protected joint.
- It is an object of the present invention to provide a garment protective assembly which is less restrictive of the wearer's movements.
- It is another object of the present invention to provide a garment protective assembly which facilitates air flow to the protected joint.
- It is a further object of the present invention to provide a garment protective assembly configured for wearer comfort.
- Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
-
FIG. 1 is a front elevational view, partially broken away in section of the joint protective assembly of this invention configured for protection of the knee of the wearer of a garment. -
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the assembly ofFIG. 1 taken along section line 2-2. -
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the assembly ofFIG. 1 taken along section line 3-3. -
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side perspective view of the protective assembly ofFIG. 1 shown in use with the wearer's knee bent. -
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the protective insert ofFIG. 1 . - Referring more particularly to
FIGS. 1-5 , wherein like numbers refer to similar parts, aprotective pad assembly 20 is shown inFIGS. 1-4 . Theprotective pad assembly 20 is comprised of aprotective element 22, and apocket 24 formed on apants leg 26 of agarment 28, for example a soldier's fatigues. Theprotective element 22 is symmetrical about a vertical axis, and has acap 42 attached to aninsert 44. InFIG. 1 , thecap 42 is shown broken away generally about the vertical axis. Thepocket 24 is accessible through acentral opening 36, and is not open at the top or sides as in a common pocket. Other pocket configurations may be employed, such as the ones shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,237,270, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. As shown inFIG. 2 , thepocket 24 is defined between afabric front layer 30 and a frontwardly facingfabric substrate 32 of thegarment 28. The protective pad assembly illustrated is a knee pad assembly, but a similar arrangement for an elbow or other body area may be provided. - As shown in
FIG. 1 , thefront layer 30 is connected to thegarment substrate 32 at an outerperipheral seam 34, formed, for example, by stitching. Theseam 34 may be broken at anaccess region 35 at the base of the pocket, to aid in removal of the insert by insertion of a finger to press up on the insert. Thecentral opening 36 is defined in thefront layer 30 and has aninner periphery 38 which may be finished by a sewn seam. It will be noted that thefront layer 30 does not lie flat against thegarment substrate 32, but is spaced from the substrate to define a pocketinterior cavity 40 which is dimensioned to snugly receive portions of theprotective element 22. Thepocket 24 permits the insertion of portions of theprotective element 22 through the frontwardly facingcentral opening 36. - The
protective element 22 has a stiff butbendable cap 42 which is connected to aprotective cushioning insert 44. The insert is a tapered molded and cut sheet of cushioning material. Theinsert 44 is generally resilient and may be dual density polyethylene/EVA foam. If the initial foam sheet is ½ inch thick, the molded and cut sheet may range in thickness from ½ inch to 1/16 inch. To facilitate attachment of thecap 42 to thefoam insert sheet 44 by stitching, the foam sheet is preferably produced as a fabric/foam/fabric laminate. Although the front surface need not be fabric covered, the fabric may be provided to provide a more finished appearance. The shape is given to thefoam insert sheet 44 by placing it in a compression mold, and forming it with heat and pressure into the desired three-dimensional shape. The molded shape is then placed in a die cutting apparatus to trim and perforate the part. To facilitate the die cutting, the molded sheet is preferably first flattened out to aid in cutting. The foam has a low density, preferably about two pounds per cubic foot or less. - The
stiff cap 42 may be fabricated of a thermoplastic elastomer such as SANTOPRENE® plastic material manufactured by Advanced Elastomer Systems of Exxon Mobil Corporation. This plastic material, although stiffer than most rubbers, nonetheless is generally softer than a plastic such as polyethylene. Thestiff cap 42 may be a molded material, which preferably has a slightly convex shape to give strength and stiffness and selected to protect the joint for which it is intended. It will be noted that thestiff cap 42 has some resilience, permitting bending of portions of the cap. - The
cap 42 is formed as a unitary molded part, and has anupper segment 43 separated from alower segment 45 by a bending joint 47 defined by at least one, and preferably threegrooves 49 which extend substantially across the cap. Eachgroove 49 may be about ⅛ inch across, and about ⅛ inch deep at the midpoint of the cap, and may taper to a reduced or minimal depth at the edges of the cap. As shown inFIG. 1 , the middle of the threegrooves 49 may extend substantially horizontally across thecap 42, while the upper groove may curve downwardly, and the lower groove may curve upwardly. The total distance between theupper segment center 48 and thelower segment center 53 may be approximately one inch. - As best shown in
FIG. 1 , eachsegment cap 42 has formed therein shallowperipheral grooves peripheral grooves thread 54 to be stitched through the cap and thecushioning insert 44, thereby connecting thecap 42 to theprotective cushioning insert 44 without the thread protruding outwardly from the cap. Bothsegments protective insert 44 on either side of the bending joint, to allow the flexing of the cap along the bending joint. In the illustrated knee pad, the upper segment may be smaller than the lower segment, for example a little less than one half the height of the lower segment. Thecushioning insert 44 may be molded to have protrudingregions cap 42 to theinsert 44. - A
flange 50, about one-half inch wide, extends outwardly exterior to thegrooves FIG. 3 , the back side of theflange 50 is preferably formed with a narrowperipheral ridge 52 which is approximately a semicylindrical bead which faces toward thepocket front layer 30 from the outside. Other effective connection mechanisms between the cap and theinsert 44 may be employed, so long as the outward protrusion of theflange 50 remains. Theflange 50 is thus not fixed to theinsert 44 outwardly of thegrooves gap 56 is defined between the cap and theinsert 44. - In use, the
insert 44 is inserted into theinterior cavity 40 of thepocket 24 such that theinner periphery 38 of thepocket front layer 30 is received within thegap 56 between thecap 42flange 50 and theinsert 44. Thecap 42 engages the material of thefront layer 30, and thereby holds theprotective element 22 in place. Theinsert 44 may be substantially larger than thecap 42. For example, acap 42 which is about four inches wide and six inches high, may be connected to an insert which is about 6½ inches wide and ten inches high. Thecap 42 may be positioned closer to the top of theinsert 44 than to the bottom. To attach theprotective element 22 to thegarment 28, the protective element is held so that the downwardly taperedinsert 44 is compressed to pass through thecentral opening 36. Theinsert 44 is advanced until the fabric of thepocket front layer 30 is received in thegap 56 beneath thebeadlike ridge 52 on the rear of thecap flange 50. Theinsert 44, which is readily compressed and distorted, is then worked around the perimeter of thecap 42 so the edge of the pocket front layer goes under the cap flange. - Any tendency for the upper portion of the
insert 44 to move downward in the pocket as the wearer's joint is flexed may be resisted by a two-part fastener extending between theinsert 44 and thepocket front layer 30. The two-part fastener may be a hook-and-loop fastener 58 such as VELCRO® fastener from Velcro Industries B.V., or another conventional fastener such as a snap fastener having a socket as one part, and a stud as the other part. Thefastener 58 has aninsert portion 60 facing frontwardly and affixed to theinsert 44 above the cap, and apocket portion 62 affixed to thepocket front layer 30 inside the pocket and facing thegarment substrate 32. When theinsert 44 is in position within thepocket 24, the two strips of hook-and-loop fastener 58 are engaged with one another to retain theprotective element 22 in place. As shown inFIG. 1 , theinsert fastener portions 60 may be formed as ⅞ inch circular units which are adhesively fastened withinshallow depressions 61 molded into theinsert 44. The recesseddepressions 61 help to hold the fastener portions in place over time. - As shown in
FIG. 4 , when a wearer of thegarment 28 kneels or bends a knee, thepants leg 26 embodying theprotective pad assembly 20 will be distorted, and theprotective element 22 will tend to restrict the distortion of the garment. To the extent this restriction in minimized, the wearer will experience a minimum of discomfort or interference as a result of using the protective pad assembly. Hence theprotective pad assembly 20 is configured with features which facilitate the conformance of the assembly to the wearer's limb as its position changes. Two sets of notches with diverging walls are die-cut into the perimeter of the protective insert, as best shown inFIG. 1 .Upper notches 74 are positioned one on either side of thecap 42, and aligned with the bendingjoint 47 of the cap, to thereby facilitate bending of theprotective insert 44 as the cap is bent about the bending joint. Each notch has a narrowest point which is preferably aligned with the centermost of thegrooves 49 of the bending joint 47.Lower notches 76 are located on the protective insert one on either side of and spaced downwardly from thecap 42, to thereby facilitate bending of the protective insert along a bend line spaced downwardly from the cap. Both sets ofnotches - It will be expected that wearers of the garment protective
joint assembly 20 of this invention will be involved in active endeavors such as running, kneeling, carrying out manual chores, etc. As a result, the wearer will generate body heat which it is desirable to bring into contact with cooling external air. Hence theassembly 20 is fabricated to allow air to flow through theinsert 44 and carry away heat from the protected joint. As shown inFIG. 1 , twoelongated slots protective insert 44 and permit air to flow therethrough. Theslots insert 44. The slots may be about ¼ inch wide, and about 2⅛ inches long, with rounded ends. Although more slots provide more air flow, greater space devoted to slots reduces the cushioning material available to protect the wearer's joint. Therefore it is desirable to not have too much of the surface area devoted to slots. As shown inFIG. 4 , thefabric front layer 30 will tend to be stretched across thefront surface 82 of theinsert 44. As shown inFIG. 3 , thefabric front layer 30, which is pervious to air, thus overlies theslots relief 84 which extends from thefront surface 82 to the slot to thus define an air cavity between thegarment front layer 30 and the slot, permitting ventilation through the insert to the protected joint. Eachrelief 84 has inclined or rampedside walls 86. The relief may be from one-half to one-and-one-quarter inches across. - As shown in
FIG. 5 , the protective foam insert is preferably molded and cut to have anupper edge 88 which is concave towards the wearer, so that the upper edge conforms better to the wearer, and thus tends less to interfere with the wearer's movements, and thus adds to comfortable wear of the assembly. - It is understood that the invention is not limited to the particular construction and arrangement of parts herein illustrated and described, but embraces all such modified forms thereof as come within the scope of the following claims.
Claims (6)
Priority Applications (1)
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US12/699,804 US8621666B2 (en) | 2009-02-04 | 2010-02-03 | Garment protective assembly |
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US14996009P | 2009-02-04 | 2009-02-04 | |
US12/699,804 US8621666B2 (en) | 2009-02-04 | 2010-02-03 | Garment protective assembly |
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US20100223709A1 true US20100223709A1 (en) | 2010-09-09 |
US8621666B2 US8621666B2 (en) | 2014-01-07 |
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Cited By (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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US20140068831A1 (en) * | 2012-09-13 | 2014-03-13 | Michael Tinsley | Shin Protection Device |
WO2014169147A1 (en) * | 2013-04-11 | 2014-10-16 | Skydex Technologies, Inc. | Removable body padding |
US20140373259A1 (en) * | 2012-01-13 | 2014-12-25 | Drifire, Llc | Protective pad assembly |
US20140373576A1 (en) * | 2013-06-24 | 2014-12-25 | Sureguard Safety Products Limited | Glove |
US9144253B1 (en) * | 2010-12-14 | 2015-09-29 | Samtech, Llc | System for integrating a knee pad into a garment |
US20210386131A1 (en) * | 2020-06-12 | 2021-12-16 | 5.11, Inc. | Protective garment system |
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USD815792S1 (en) * | 2016-10-07 | 2018-04-24 | Bsn Sports, Llc | Pad for a girdle |
CN110461180B (en) * | 2017-03-27 | 2021-11-16 | 耐克创新有限合伙公司 | Article of apparel with selectively attachable and detachable elements |
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US9144253B1 (en) * | 2010-12-14 | 2015-09-29 | Samtech, Llc | System for integrating a knee pad into a garment |
US20140373259A1 (en) * | 2012-01-13 | 2014-12-25 | Drifire, Llc | Protective pad assembly |
US20140068831A1 (en) * | 2012-09-13 | 2014-03-13 | Michael Tinsley | Shin Protection Device |
WO2014169147A1 (en) * | 2013-04-11 | 2014-10-16 | Skydex Technologies, Inc. | Removable body padding |
US20140304900A1 (en) * | 2013-04-11 | 2014-10-16 | Skydex Technologies, Inc. | Removable body padding |
CN105120697A (en) * | 2013-04-11 | 2015-12-02 | 斯凯达克斯科技有限公司 | Removable body padding |
EP2983535A4 (en) * | 2013-04-11 | 2017-02-22 | Skydex Technologies, Inc. | Removable body padding |
US20140373576A1 (en) * | 2013-06-24 | 2014-12-25 | Sureguard Safety Products Limited | Glove |
US9635893B2 (en) * | 2013-06-24 | 2017-05-02 | Sureguard Safety Products Limited | Glove |
US20210386131A1 (en) * | 2020-06-12 | 2021-12-16 | 5.11, Inc. | Protective garment system |
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